The Way of Folly

13 (A)The woman Folly is (B)loud;
    she is seductive[a] and (C)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on (D)the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
    who are (E)going straight on their way,
16 (F)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 (G)“Stolen water is sweet,
    and (H)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know (I)that the dead[b] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:13 Or full of simpleness
  2. Proverbs 9:18 Hebrew Rephaim

Folly’s Entrapment

13 The foolish woman is loud,
    undisciplined, and without knowledge.
14 She sits at the entrance of her house,
    on a seat high above the city.
15 She calls out to those passing by on the road,
    who are minding their own business,[a]
16 “Whoever is naïve, turn in here!”
    And to anyone lacking sense, she says,
17 “Stolen waters are sweet,
    and food eaten in secret is delicious.”
18 But he does not realize that the dead lurk there,
    and her invited guests wind up in the depths of Sheol.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:15 Or are going straight on their way
  2. Proverbs 9:18 I.e. the realm of the dead